Monsanto:Taking control of the world’s food

Killing more than just weeds?Monsanto is not a household name but as the world’s largest seed company and the 5th largest agrochemicals company, its activities affect us all. Its flagship weedkiller, Roundup is made with a chemical, called glyphosate, that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified as probably causing cancer and other studies have shown it damages the environment. This concerns us all as glyphosate is sprayed everywhere from our gardens, local parks and schools and even found in our food and sanitary products. It is so widespread that traces have been found in one out of every three loaves of bread in the UK.

Feeding the addictionBut this is just the tip of the iceberg. Monsanto maintains its market dominance by getting farmers hooked onto its expensive weedkillers and seeds that have to be purchased every year from Monsanto. This is not only costly for small-scale farmers around the world but also unnecessary. Scientific evidence shows that organic, non-chemical methods are effective for growing healthy food as well as being better for the environment.

Monsanto’s GM and hybrid seeds are patented and farmers are required to sign agreements not to replant or reuse the seeds. This means that farmers have to purchase expensive new seeds each year as well as the accompanying chemicals that are required for the seeds to grow. The large-scale uptake of these seeds displaces the use of farmers’ own seeds that they have developed over many years and exchange freely. Essentially, Monsanto’s GM seeds take control of seeds away from farmers and enhance the control of corporations over seeds and ultimately the food system.

What about GM?

Cancer The World Health Organisation has classified the chemical used in Monsanto’s bestselling weedkiller, Roundup, as probably causing cancer. Between 2005-2014, 6.1 billion kilos of glyphosate have been sprayed globally.

reasons to oppose Monsanto’s corporate power

A seat at the table Monsanto uses its influence to make it easier to sell more of its seeds and chemicals in different regions. This is through direct lobbying, membership of lobbying bodies and participating in aid schemes like the UK backed New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. There is also a well-established revolving door between Monsanto and various government jobs across the world.

Controlling food Monsanto pushes a food system based on controlling seeds and chemicals that disempowers the small-scale farmers who produce 70% of the world’s food. Monsanto’s seeds cannot be saved or swapped and need to be purchased every year, often with expensive fossil fuel based chemicals. This is costly and unnecessary.

Farmer suicides In India, farmers using Monsanto seeds and chemicals have faced increasing debt. Campaigners and families claim that this has contributed to farmer suicides.

Suing farmers Monsanto seeds are patented which means that farmers cannot save or replant them. Between 1997-2014, Monsanto have filed 147 lawsuits against US farmers who “improperly reused their patented seeds”.

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What can be done? There are already many groups around the world campaigning to challenge Monsanto’s power in their country and in their local communities.

You can join in too!

Local: Join a local campaign to ban the use of the Roundup chemical (glyphosate) in your local area and kick Monsanto out of your community. See pan-uk.org

Europe: Before June 2016, the EU will be deciding whether glyphosate (the chemical found in Monsanto’s Roundup products) is safe to relicense. Check out globajustice.org.uk/Monsanto to see our latest action.

Global Justice Now66 Offley Road, London SW9 0LS

+44 (0)20 7820 4900 globaljustice.org.uk @globaljusticeukoffleyroad@globaljustice.org.uk

Global:Follow the international tribunal against Monsanto in October 2016 and help promote on social media monsanto-tribunal.org

Demonstrator takes part during a protest against Monsanto in Bogota, Colombia

Picture credits:Karan Vaid / Greenpeace; Deoxyt2; GMwatch; Caroline Hargreaves; narongcp fotolia; John Vizcaino / Reuters